Beauty

Who remembers way back when I used to get influenster boxes on the regular? Unlike a lot of free sample box services, influenster has actually managed to stay afloat and has really grown their site a lot. The site works basically by giving you an “influencer” score and provided sample boxes to those with good scores that opt in. If you have a profile, or make one go ahead and give me a follow to see the reviews I randomly post on things.

So lets talk about what came in this box:

Kiss Impress Press On Nails

Crest Gum and enamel repair toothpaste

completely smooth moisturizing no-bump shave gel

Mane magic 10 in 1 primer

shea moisture african black soap bamboo charcoal gelee moisturizer

I’ve tried everything this box except for the press on nails but I have used this exact brand before so I’m gonna skip talking about them for now. I’ll of the things were kind of “meh” for me so I’m just gonna be super brief when talking about them.

The toothpaste – it has a very underwhelming minty flavor which is nice if you don’t like overpowering mintness in your toothpaste but I personally like more mint than that. I haven’t used it long enough to attest if it helps with gum issues or whatever so I can’t speak to those claims. It does contain fluoride, so cavity protection is there.

The shave gel – okay so, I don’t know if this will be an unpopular opinion or not but I think shaving creams for legs and shave gels are kind of a waste of money. I find that using conditioner or a nice body wash works just as well for me than spending extra money on girly printed items. This shave gel has a scent that reminded me of a perfume sample I’d smelled in Seventeen magazine in middle school – like a serious throwback. It’s extremely thick which was kind of nice and lathers like a body wash. I don’t think I would reach for this for my legs over other things I use but I definitely think the thickness of the gel would make it really good for shaving the bikini area that is typically more sensitive to razor burn.

Primer spray – it didn’t realize until I read the back of the package that this product was a hair product and I really think they should have included that in the name somewhere lol. It claims to: detangle, reduce frizz, strengthen, soften, reduce drying time, add shine, nourish, smooth and protect against heat and UV. It kind of sounds like a miracle product. I’ve actually been looking for new heat protectant spray as well as a good detangling protect because thats an issue I’ve been having a lot now that my hair is longer. I want to do more research on this as I didn’t notice anything stark on day one usage but I really like the idea of it. It has a distinct scent that I can’t tell if I like or not but am leaning towards yes? Also apparently its on sale as Cosco for 2 full size bottles for $10. If I had I costco card still I would probably take advantage of it because its something I think I will actually use.

The moisturizer – I haven’t ever tried anything from Shea Moisture but I’ve always been interested in their products in the store. I’ve also heard great things about African Black Soap so I was excited for this. I used an entire packet on my face and neck after cleansing and immediately didn’t really like it. It has a very serum-y texture and leaves that slick, slightly sticky effect on your face after you rub it in as if you’d just used a sheet mask. It also didn’t leave my skin feeling soft or smooth. I don’t see myself ever purchasing things just because I don’t think the gel is for me. I would happily try this out of there was a cream version though!

That’s it for my quick thoughts on the Staycation box, overall I think I’ll end up getting the primer spray somewhere and skipping the rest. Thanks influenster for letting me try these things out!

Hey all! So today I’m bringing you my foundation collection including swatches. First, just a little background on my skin. I am approximately an NC/NW10 with dry to combo skin. I tend to get moderately oily on my forehead throughout the day but nothing crazy. Dry patches around my nose/upper lip and occasionally around my jawline. I am very pale with slight yellow undertones. My foundation journey has been a struggle to say the least. I find that the palest shades in almost all foundations are either too orange or too pink on my skin. Out of this batch, the fourth swatch, Fit Me Matte+Poreless in 110 Porcelain is the best match that I have. It is every so slightly too pink, like so slight, but I make it work.

The last two foundations here are not really “pale skin” foundation but I did include them because I was tan for a brief while and it gives you something to kind of gauge the light foundations against. These swatches are kind of thick, so in the images you can see that they are mostly dried with some wet spots so keep that in mind it might change the color somewhat. The oxidation is also apparent.

These swatches are also helpful if you’re looking into the Fit Me line by Maybelline. Its so important to keep in mind that all of their formulas are different, even if it says the same shade. For example, the fourth and fifth swatches are both 110 but you can see the dewy+smooth foundation is really a full shade darker. Also, both six and seven are both 120 but the stick foundation is much much more pink undertoned. I know this logic applies to a lot of foundation brands with different formulations so make sure to test things out first when you can or keep your receipts so you can return what doesn’t work for you.

The next post will be a haul of all my asian foundations and bb creams that I’ve purchased recently and some impressions. I’m so excited to get my shipment so stay tuned for that!

Hey all! Long time no see! Things are looking up though as today I am bringing you a gorgeous haul from Colourpop. This is actually my first Colourpop haul so you can imagine my excitement after the all the hype about this company. Let me not tell you, they do not disappoint!

Here’s what I got. I’m including swatches and a mini review for the products I’ve tried. Let me know if you’d like to see more swatches or an in depth review on anything!

Lippie to Go Collection in Hot to Trot

Cookie // Skimpy

Cami // Bound

LBB // LBB

Trust Me // Bossy

Chateau // Dukes

Out And About liquid lipstick bundle

Viper – Ultra Matte Lip

Times Square – Ultra Matte Lip

Baracuda – Ultra Satin Lip

All Nighter Super Shock Shadow Collection

Smash – Satin

Vega – Metalic

To-A-T – Matte

Mooning – Pearlized

Swatches:

Thoughts:

Thus far, I’ve only tried two of the products but I’ll give you a quick overview on my thoughts.

Times Square Ultra Matte Lip review – This is the first time I’ve ever tried a lip product from Colourpop and I was seriously blown away. I’ve tried a few different liquid lipsticks in my time, my current favorite brand was Nyx’s liquid suede. This feels completely different and definitely takes the number one spot. You know how HD powder is so finely milled that it feels like a silky smooth texture? That’s what these liquid lipsticks feel like on your lips. The formula is quite a bit thinner than Nyx and they dry down and set very quickly. Less than 15 seconds. What really caught me by surprise was the lasting power. I applied this lipstick at 8am and took it off at 5pm. That’s 9 hours of wear. It looked the exact same as it did when I originally applied it. That was even after eating and drinking. I’m so in love you guys. If the rest of the lip sticks wear this well I might just have a new obsession

Chateau & Dukes Lippie To Go review – This looks a lot richer on the lips than when swatched. On my camera it looks more like a dark berry but in normal interior lighting it looks like a very dark brick red or wine color. Its very lovely. It doesn’t have that silky smooth feel like the ultra matte liquid lipstick did but it still does apply matte. edit;; I’ve had it on for about 4 hours now and it doesn’t have near the same lasting power as the liquid lipstick I wore today but its still not bad. Just wears off somewhat patchy on the inside of the lip. For short term wear though, I still like this and I think its on par with most other lipsticks.

At this rate, I’ll be trying more colourpop products soon! What are your favorites?

Instagram

About Me

Jamie is a twenty-something originally from the midwest who currently lives in Georgia with her husband and their fur-family. She enjoys song writing, photography, and spending time at the beach. TSL is a life style and beauty blog that began in 2012.

subscribe

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.